Sign construction



Aug. 15, 1961 w. H. YETMAN SIGN CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. s, 1958 IN V EN TOR. fi i/ll'am H )slwa 0 United States Patent I 2,995,848 SIGN CONSTRUCTION v William H. Yetman, Co-operative Sign Co., 3317 N. Mission Road, Los Angeles, Calif. Filed Sept. 5, 1958, Ser. No. 759,323 3 Claims. (Cl. 40-130) This invention relates to an advertising device and is more particularly concerned with a novel illuminated character or symbol construction.

The use of illuminated characters or symbols in advertising signs and the like, is common practice. Such characters or symbols are ordinarily simple representations of the characters, or the like, formed of a transparent or translucent material and are suitably illuminated by illuminating means arranged behind or rearward of the construction.

In order to obtain additional effect, such constructions have been provided with electric control means to cause the illuminating means to flash or blink on and ofi. When this is done (at night), the ordinary sign composed of such character constructions is only visible for short periods of time, when the illuminating means is turned on, and is not visible the remainder of the time.

While this manner of controlling the illumination of such signs has proven to have some advantages in attracting attention, it has also proven to have certain undesirable eifects in that persons traveling by such a sign frequently pass it during the period when the illuminating means is off, or at such times that they see the sign illuminated forsuch a short period of time that they cannot read it.

An object of the present invention is to provide novel sign constructions'having illuminated characters or symbols.

Another objectof my invention is to provide a sign construction of the character referred to having relief characters of novel construction and novel illuminating means related to the characters whereby a flashing or blinking effect can be obtained and yet maintain the characters illuminated at all times.

An object of this invention is to provide characters for a sign of the character referred to having base or rear portions with transparent surfaces and front portions having translucent surfaces smaller than and projecting forwardly from the base portion.

An object of the present invention is to provide illuminating means for sign characters of the general character referred to and adapted to selectively illuminate the front or rear portions thereof whereby a flashing efiect can be obtained and yet maintain the characters illuminated at all times.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a construction of the character referred to wherein the characters appear to change in size and form as the illuminating means operates to illuminate the various portions thereof.

An object of my invention is to provide a sign construction wherein the characters are related to a flat panel and wherein the base or rear portions of the characters are provided with transparent surfaces adjacent said 2,995,848 Patented Aug. 15, 1961 ICC with a character or symbol and illuminating means therefor.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferred form and application of my invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sign embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of one of the units of the sign illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

FIG. 3 is a detailed sectional view of the construction illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings, taken as indicated by line 3-3 on FIG. 2.

The sign construction A provided by the present invention is shown as including a plurality of similar boxlike units B, each having a character or symbol C thereon and provided with suitable illuminating means D for the character.

Each box-like unit B is shown as having flat, vertically disposed front, rear and side walls 10, 11 and 12, and fiat, horizontally disposed top and bottom walls 13 and 14. The units B are preferably formed or fabricated of sheet metal.

Due to the fact that the particular manner in which the units B are established can vary widely without in any way affecting the novelty of the present invention, I have illustrated the construction of the units B in a general manner and will not burden this application with unnecessary illustration and description thereof.

The flat, vertically disposed front Walls 10 of the units B establish the front face of the sign which they compose.

The characters or symbols C carried by the box-like units B are similar in construction, but can vary widely in plane configuration, as circumstances require. For instance, they can be made to conform to the various letters or characters of the alphabet, or can be made in the form of some special representation or symbol, such as a trade-mark, or the like.

Each character C involves a rear or base portion :15 and a front portion 16.

The base or rear portion of each character C has a forwardly projecting side wall 17 about its entire perimeter and having vertically disposed front and rear edges 18 and 19, and a fiat, vertically disposed front wall 21.

In the case illustrated, the side wall 17 of the base portion is sectional, having an inner or rear transparent section 22 and an outer or forward opaque section 23.

panel, whereby the said panel is illuminated when the 7 arranged in side byside relationship and each provided v The sections 22 and 23 are preferably formed of a suitable plastic material and are cemented or bonded togather in accordance with normal practice, according to the particular materials used.

The front wall 21 is made of a translucent sheet of plastiematerial, formed to correspond in outside configuration with the interior configuration of the side wall 17. The front wall 21 is engaged with the side wall to occur adjacent the front edge 18 thereof. The front wall 21 is suitably cemented or bonded to the side wall 17 The central portion of the front wall 21 is cut away to establish an opening 24 corresponding in general form with the character established by the base portion 15, but considerably smaller.

In another sense, it can be said that the front wall 21 is in the nature of a fiat, vertically disposed flange of uniform lateral extent projecting upwardly from the front edge 18 of the side wall about the entire perimeter thereof.

The forward portion 16 of the character C includes a. forwardly projecting translucent side wall 25 having vertically disposed, front and rear edges 26 and 27. The side wall 25 is shaped to conform with the opening 24 in the front wall 21 of the base portion 15 of the character C and positioned withits rear edge portion engaged in the said opening 24 and is suitably cemented or bonded to said front wall 21.

The rear edge 27 is positioned tooccurfiush with the inside surface of the front wall 21 of the base portion 15. The forward portion .16 of the character vC further includes a flat, vertically disposed front wall 28 made of a .translucent material, formed to correspond in outside configuration with the interior configuration of the side wall 25. The front wall 28 is engaged within the sidewall 25 to occur flush with the front edge 26thereof and is suitably cemented or bonded .infixed position thereon.

outer portion 16 could be clear and transparent and'the front wall 28 could be translucent white.

The character C, thus far described, is carriedby the box-like body B provided for it and is arranged with the rear edge 19 of the base portion 17 positioned adjacent the front wall of the unit.

In practice, the character C can be fixed to the front wall 10 of the unit B in any desired manner. 'In the case illustrated, I have shown the character C secured to the unit B by means of a plurality of angle brackets 30 having legs 31 secured to the front wall 10 of the unit B by means of screw fasteners 32 and forwardly ,projecting legs 33 to occur adjacent the inner side of the side wall 17 of the character C and-securedthereto by screw fasteners 34.

With the above relationship of parts, it will be apparent that the character C when fixed to the unit B, to project forwardly therefrom, becomes apart of the unit B.

The illuminating means D that I provide includes a primary illuminating set-up 40 anda secondary illuminating set-up .50. The primary illuminating set-up 40 is adapted to illuminate the base portion of the character C, while the secondary set-up 50 is adapted to illuminate the forward or front portion 16 of the character.

In practice, the illuminating set-ups or means 40 and 50 can vary widely in form and construction. For instance, each can be established by a plurality of incandescent light bulbs, a lessernumber of fluorescent lamps or a single neon tube.

In the case illustrated, I have shown each of the setups or means 40 and 50 as including a single neon,-or neon-type illuminating means and including asingle tube.

The neontube 41 of the primary illuminating means 40 is shaped to conform with the front wall 21 of the base portion 15 of the character C and is arranged within the confines of the character to occur behindthe said front wall 21 thereof.

The tube 41 is shown as havingits end portions 42 turned rearwardly, where they oppose and come into close proximity to each other, to project through a suitable opening 43 provided in the front wall 10 of the unit.

The neon tube 51 of the secondary illuminating means 50 is shaped to conform with the front wall 28-of the front portion .16 of the character C and is arranged within the confines of the character to occur behind the said front wall 28 thereof.

Thetube .51 is shown as having its end portions 52 turned inwardly, where they oppose and come in close proximity to each other, to project througha suit-able opening 53 provided in the front wall 10 of the unit.

-With the means D set forth above, it will beapparent that when the means 40 is illuminated, the base portion of the character is illuminated, that-when'the means 50 is illuminated the front portion of the character is'illuminated and that when both means 40 and'50 are 'illumi-i nated the entire character'is illuminated.

It will befurther apparent that when the means 40 is on or illuminated, light is permitted to flood out through the inner or rear transparent section 22 of the side wall 17 of the base portion and illuminate the front Wall 10 of the unit, andthat whenthe means .50 is on or illuminated, light is permitted to flood out through the .side wall 25 of the-outer portion in .a manner to illuminate the front surface of the frontwall zlof thelbase portion 15 of the character.

In order to prevent the light generated by the tube 41 from flooding into the forward portion'ofjthe character and prevent the light generated by the tube 51 from flooding into the base portion 15 in a manner to illuminate the front wall 21 thereof, from the inner side thereof, I provide an inwardly projectiug'baflle .60 about the inner edge 27 of the side wall 2510f the front portion 16, which baflie projects freely into the confines of the base portion 15, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 30f the drawings.

The baflie can be formed of any suitablematerial, such as a plastic similar to that which the remainder of the character is formed of and can be..fixed in position in the construction as by cementing,.or the like.

The tubes 41 and '51 of the meansD are mounted in fixed position in theconstruct-ion by imeans of suitable wire or strip metal brackets 61 and 62 having-portions secured to the bafile'by screw fasteners 63 and portions suitably engaged about the tubes.

In addition to the foregoing, the means D further includes a transformer T anda suitable time control switch mechanism, or blinker unit 8, connected with the tubes '41 and 42, to control the operation thereofias circumstances require. The transformer T and units S are mounted in a suitable manner the 'uniLB. and receive current by means of asuitable power line L assembled at the exterior of the unit, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings.

'In view of the fact that the transformer and unit S can vary widely in formand construction and do not have any bearing on the novelty of the present invention, I have illustrated them in a cursory or diagrammatic manner and will not burden this application with unnecessary illustration and description thereof.

In establishing a sign embodyingthepresent invention, several units B, such as described in the foregoing, are arranged in sideby side relationship, 'as illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

Suitable screw fasteners --64 can be engaged through the adjacent side walls 12 of the several units B to maintain them in fixed position.

In practice, it is possible that one transformer T and blinker unit S can be provided to serve and control the operation of the tubes 41 and 51 of the several units B going to make up the sign. When this is to be accomplished, suitable registering openings 65 (illustrated in dotted lines in FIG. 3 of the drawings), can be provided in the opposing side walls 12 of the units B to receive suitable lead lines extending from the transformer and unit to the several tubes.

'In practice, suitable forwardly projecting, flange-like shields 66 can be provided to project forwardly from the top, bottom and ends of the sign to prevent the light issuing from the characters from flooding'other structures surrounding the sign and to also prevent light issuing from such surrounding structures from flooding the sign, in such a manner as to spoil its effect.

In practice, the shield can be a simple, unitary sheet metal element fixed to the several units composing the sign, by screw fasteners 67.

In practice, the light generating means 40 and 50 can be of'dilferent colors in order to inhance the effectiveness of the sign. For example, the means 40 could be such as to generate yellow or gold colored light, while the means 50 could be such as to generate white light.

' While I have shown and described the :sign as being made up of several units B, each with a single character C thereon, it is to be understood that in practice, if desired, units B could be established or provided to carry several characters. In fact, an entire sign involving a single box-like unit B and carrying a plurality of characters C could be provided if desired.

Having described only a typical preferred form and applicationof my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any modifications or variations that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A sign construction of the character referred to including, a body having a flat, vertically disposed front wall, a character fixed to the front wall of the body, said character including a base portion to occur adjacent the body and a front portion projecting forwardly from the base portion, said base portion having a forwardly projecting, light conducting side wall extending about its perimeter and a light conducting front wall with an opening intermediate its side edges, said front portion having a light conducting side wall extending about its perimeter and engaged in the opening in the base portion to project forwardly from the base portion and a light conducting front wall; and illuminating means adapted to illuminate the character and the body and including, an electrically energized light generating tube in the character to occur rearward of the front wall of the base portion, a second electrically energized light generating tube in the character to occur rearward of the front wall of the front portion and means to intermittently and alternately energize the tubes.

2. A sign construction of the character referred to including, a body having a fiat, vertically disposed front wall, a character fixed to the front wall of the body, said character including a :base portion to occur adjacent the body and a front portion projecting forwardly from the base portion, said base portion having a forwardly projecting, light conducting side wall extending about its perimeter and a light conducting front wall with an opening intermediate its side edges, said front portion having a light conducting side wall extending about its perimeter and engaged in the opening in the base portion to project forwardly from the base portion and a light conducting front wall; and illuminating means adapted to illuminate the character and the body and including, an electrically energized light generating tube in the character to occur rearward of the front wall of the base portion, a second electrically energized light generating tube in the character to occur rearward of the front wall of the front portion, a light baffle within the character between the tubes and adapted to prevent the light from the first-mentioned tube to illuminate the front portion and the light from the second tube to illuminate the base portion, and means to intermittently and alternately energize the tubes.

3. A sign construction of the character referred to including, a body having a flat, vertically disposed front wall, a character fixed to the front Wall of the body, such character including, a base portion to occur adjacent the body and a front portion projecting forwardly from the base portion, said base po'rtion having a forwardly projecting, transparent side wall extending about its perimeter and a translucent front wall with an opening intermediate its side edges, said front portion having a transparent side wall extending about its perimeter and engaged in the opening in the base portion to project forwardly from the base portion and a translucent front wall; and illuminating means adapted to illuminate the character and the body and including, an electrically energized light generating tube in the character to occur rearward of the front wall and laterally of the transparent side wall of the base portion to illuminate the front wall of the base portion from within the character and to illuminate the front surface of the front wall of the base, a second electrically energized light generating tube in the character to occur rearward of the front wall and laterally of the transparent side wall of the front portion to illuminate the front wall of the front portion from Within the character and to illuminate the front surface of the front wall of the base portion, a light baflie within the character between the tubes and adapted to prevent the light from the first mentioned tube to illuminate the front wall of the front portion and the light from the second tube to illuminate the front wall of the base portion, and means to intermittently and alternately energize the tubes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,152,146 Conner et al Aug. 31, 1915 1,536,449 Muller May 5, 1925 1,908,393 Winship May 9, 1933 2,027,187 Luna Ian. 7, 1936 2,095,291 Schneider Oct. 12, 1937 2,106,331 Smith Jan. 25, 1938 2,113,026 Kehl Apr. 5, 1938 2,140,703 Kenigsberg Dec. 20, 1938 

